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"The people who have come here are not our friends. They are the associates of the human who killed
Martine's companions and forced her to flee. They have made us their prisoners and plan to take us
away with them on their ship. They have plans in mind for you and your world," and he proceeded to
detail the likely course exploitation and development would take under the heavy hand of Frazier's
superiors.
It was library who finally responded. "You have lived with us, fought with us, and helped us. You are a
member of the Associative. Your friend is a member by association with you, and perhaps even more
than that. We have not had time enough to explore the philosophical implications of all these recent
developments but we know who our friends are. Of course we will help you."
"You're going to have to be very careful. These people are wearing survival suits. They're not as well
equipped as the one I arrived in, but they're most than sufficient for dealing with the majority of native
animals. That includes you, my friends."
"But we are not animals." Azure's reply was quietly confident.
"It may be necessary to hurt some of them in order to protect ourselves while we are freeing you." That
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had to be from library-worried about morality as always-Evan knew.
Martine had an answer for such concerns. "Do what you have to do. You say I am a member of your
Asso-ciative by relation. These people are murderers. They kill not to defend themselves or to obtain
food but for abstracts. They won't hesitate to kill any of you simply to learn how you work."
They overheard library addressing the other members of the Associative. "It is as I thought. These
humans are more advanced in knowledge than we are but their system of ethics is woefully
underdeveloped."
Neither Evan nor Martine spoke up to dispute library's assertion. If the locals wanted to believe they
were mor-ally superior to their human friends, let them. It could not hurt, and there was always the
possibility that library was right.
"We will come in and free you," Azure told him.
"It's not going to be that easy. I know what you're capable of, but you've no idea what modern weapons
can do. You're familiar with the barrean's defenses? The kind that the other physicians installed in
Martine? Well, these people all carry devices which are just as powerful."
"We have dealt with the barrean." Azure tried to reas-sure his friend. "I myself have dodged their attacks
on more than one occasion." There were a few barely audible comments from other members of the
Associative which might have qualified as electronic snickers. Azure ignored them.
"We will extricate you from your present situation with minimal loss of life," library said with great dignity.
"Stay where you are. Give no indication that you are in contact with us or that you know what is
happening."
"Naturally. Wait a minute. Don't you want us to tell you what to do, how to proceed?"
A faint suggestion of a mental smile. "Credit us with the intelligence you told your captors we possess.
We will come for you before sunset, after we have had the time to bring ourselves to full strength. Until
then we need to discuss how we are going to proceed among ourselves."
A last, cheery "Don t worry" came from Azure. Then the only voice in his head was Martine's.
"We'd better try and get some rest. We want to be as alert as possible when your friends come for us."
"I wonder if it's possible to sleep in this position." He struggled until he'd worked his way onto his side. "I
doubt it."
But he was wrong.
Chapter Fifteen
The changing of the guard woke him.Marline was already conscious. Evan blinked sleepily, saw that
Prism's intensely bright sun was just beginning to set. Their new guard had familiar features to go with the
large needier she wore in her holster.
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"Winona, right?"
The woman smiled thinly at him. "Hello again. Give me no trouble and I'll deal you no pain. Shut up and
go back to sleep. It'll be easier on all of us." She turned away from him.
A soft voice in his head. "It is beginning."
"What? In his surprise he spoke aloud. Winona looked back at him and frowned.
"Say again?
"Nothing," Evan said sheepishly. "Just coming out of a bad dream."
"Better get used to them. I hear they're going to turn you two over to Nodaway."
"They may have restored the station's defensive perimeter," Martine was telling their would-be rescuers.
"It's a powerful electric field that runs between pylons, metal posts. You'll have to find some way to avoid
it. I'm sure the field is strong enough to wipe your memories if not kill you outright."
"We know about the danger," Azure told them. "We have already bypassed it."
"What?" Evan tried to look over the rim of the wind shield, past their guard. There was no sign that
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